The Irish standard., 1887-01-01
SuiI Dhuv..
THE COINER.
BY. GERALD GRIFFIN.
Author of The Collegians." etc.
Author of THE Collegians.' etc.
CHAPTER IV.-(Continued.)

less manner, moreover, in which he was
regarded by the visitors Of the house
and the occasional stare of contemptu-
GUS scrutiny which he underwent from
the rude eye of stranger, ranked in
his soul and turned all the current OF
his thoug hts aud feelings to gall and
vinegar. A young and ardent mind has
arrived at terrific Crisis when it begins
to suspect that it is treated with Unjust
ice or neglect; and more especially if
that injustice is inflicted by those to
whom it is dependentfori instruction and
support, and who are, by the authority
with which they are invested, exempt
from the possibility of remonstrance.
Naturally of shy and reserved habit,
the course of life which we have been
describing was highly calculated to in
crease the timidity and consequent sus-
ceptibility of character which young
Kumba already manifested-and this
apparant blocking up of every avenue
through which his feelings, dark, light
dangerous or laudable as they were,
might find their way to the observation
of those whose censure or approval could
have any influence upon them-threw
the youth back upon himself, and
forced him upon habits of brooding and
and gloomy meditation which laid the
foundation of many black design and
many wretched hour in his after life.
Before we dismiss the subject of his
education, one observation may be al
lowed on very general mistake which
is made with respect to childish reserve
and backwardness. We have seen it
usually commended by teachers and
guardians as indicative of gentleness
and a proper docility of temper, most
probably for the obvious reason that
such children occasion them least vexa-
ton and annoyance at the moment; but
it by no means follows that the quality.
though convenient, is at all beneficial or
estimable. Every possible means
should be put in use for the purpose OF
drawing child in whom this disposition
to secresy is observed, into bold
and frank habit of declaring his mind
on all occasions; and this habit would
be very lightly purchased by the omis-
sion of punishment for certain instances
of mischief or criminality. An over
bold, noisy, passionate disposition in
child is always safer than temper too
easily governable and ductile. 1t is the
business of education to restrain, direct
and expunge, but it can never supply
positive want in character.
It was with the result of all the un-
happy influences we have been detailing
fresh from him, that the mild and the
mettled, the soft-worded and the violent,
the crouching and the fiery, the conf
dent and the suspicious, the shy and
shrinking and daring youth OF whom
we speak, found himself, with all his
crudeness of heart and mind, established
by one of those impossible accidents
which occur every day, in the possession
of that property on which he had been
suffered to vegetate from childhood. 1t
will not be difficult to suppose, that as
his fortunes suddenly outstript his ex-
pectations, so they found him untitled
from inexperience as we'll as indisposition
for the management of the means which
they placed under his government. Mis-
calculation of their extent was the obvi-
GUS and immediate evil; and the unset
tied and wavering mind Of the young
proprietor precluded all hope of an in
dustrious inquiry in that particular, or
a perseverinq and rational system in
their application. A few years Of ex-
pense and incidence, or rather, ftful
and misdirected exertion, did all for the
farm that Incidence could have done;
and Kumba, almost before his minority
was ended. found himself the possessor
of. or rather the responsible agent, for a
ruined and encumbered property;-neg-
lected by his aquaintances, censured,
and only censured, by his friends. once
more flung back upon himself; and
more,-far more-than all, rejected with
a wholesome and almost laudable spirit
of displeasure from one house, which
contained for him an object of the most
stirring ambition which had ever been
excited within his soul, after the degrad-
alton of unsuccessful solicitation, and
by one in whose eyes he had, in times of
greater happiness and prosperity, read a
promise of a kinder and more enduring
interest.
This last blow, which he could not
bring himself to consider as other than
undeserved, succeeded in unsettling the
purposes and pursuits Of the young man.
He was now placed in more imme6e
ately dangerous position than when ::he!
1:..a =, q ototo IF doron1onna on the will